Vibratory compactors are routinely used in the construction industry and the like to compact soil or other work surfaces. These are often attached to mobile machines that include a cab that houses an operator that controls the operation of the vibratory compactor. These compactors often include an eccentric device that causes a plate to move up and down in a rapid or vibratory manner to effectuate the flattening of the work surface. The operator typically controls when the vibration begins and stops manually via controls located in the cab.
It has been determined that that if downward force is not applied to the vibratory plate, then the spinning of the eccentric mechanism may cause premature wear to occur on the vibration isolators. Consequently, it is important for the operator to turn the eccentric mechanism off when the vibratory compactor is not being used, that is to say, when the plate is not subjected to any downward or upward force as happens when the plate is squeezed between the machine interface and the work surface. Occasionally, the operator fails to turn off the eccentric mechanism when finished using the vibratory compactor or starts the vibration prematurely, before sufficient force has been applied to the plate.